A. They admit their mistakes.       

B. They are open to criticism.

C. They are willing to learn.                   

D. They’re in charge of their emotions.

E. They apologize when needed.     

F. They are generous with compliments. 

We all see and hear about extraordinary people around us and wonder why can’t we be more like them? Sometimes we chuck that notion as absurd and unachievable. I would say not so fast. It’s not the big things that make someone extraordinary. It’s the small things. Things over a period of time have the power to radically change your life. They become extraordinary by making a difference in someone’s life. Here are some of the things extraordinary people do every day:

1. __________

Just because you’re the boss, it doesn’t mean you are right every time. It doesn’t mean you have the best ideas. Learn to back up your ideas or decisions with reason. Use logic to explain things, not authority. By doing this your decisions might invite criticism, but you will also get an opportunity to improve.

2. __________

My friend’s boss made a huge mistake by tying up with an event management company. The whole purpose of the tie-up was to promote his company but it failed miserably. Instead of defending his idea and carrying on as if nothing happened, he apologized to the team for not including them in the decision making. It’s OK to admit you were wrong. You will not only gain the respect of your team mates, you will also gain credibility.

3.__________

Remember the time, say in school or at work when you worked really hard but got nothing in return. Not even a thank you. It hurts when your efforts are not recognized. So every chance you get to praise someone, do it. A simple “That was some great work, keep it up,” can go a long way in making the employee feel great about themselves. A compliment can have a positive impact on their lives. Your team/family will love you for it.

4. __________

We all make mistakes, but what makes a person big is when he is ready to apologize. Don’t try to hide behind excuses: “I didn’t mean to say it, it just happened.” “I was irritated with such and such person so…” No. Don’t try to shift blame. Just come right out and say you’re sorry.

5. __________

Sometimes it is very important to stay mum. Especially when you’re angry or irritated or bitter, you don’t want to end up saying things you didn’t really mean to. So they take their time, they process their emotions, think back to what happened, and then come to a decision about how to tackle it. Before you say anything, consider other’s feelings. Never be rash with words or actions.

Money Matters

Parents should help their children understand money. ____1   So you may start talking about money when your child shows an interest in buying things, candy or toys, for example.

 The basic function of money

Begin explaining the basic function of money by showing how people trade money for goods or services. It is important to show your child how money is traded for the things he wants to have.If he wants to have a toy, give him the money and let him hand the money to the cashier(收银员).   2    When your child grows a bit older and understands the basic function of money, you can start explaining more complex ways of using money.

 Money lessons

Approach money lessons with openness and honesty.    3  __ If you must say no to a child’s request to spend money, explain, “You have enough toy trucks for now.” Or, if the request is for many different things, say, “You have to make a choice between this toy and that toy.”

    4       

Begin at the grocery store. Pick out two similar brands of a product--- a name-brand butter and a generic (无商标产品)，for example. You can show your child how to make choices between different brands of a product so that you can save money. __ 5____ If he chooses the cheaper brand, allow him to make another purchase with the money saved. Later, you may explain how the more expensive choice leaves less money for other purchases.

A．Wise decisions

B．The value of money

C．Permit the child to choose between them.

D．Tell your child why he can –or cannot --- have certain things.

E. Ask yourself what things that cost money are most important to you.

F. Talk about how the money bought the thing after you leave the toy store.

G. The best time to teach a child anything about money is when he shows an interest.

She was dancing. My lame grandmother was dancing. I stood in the living room doorway, looking at her beautiful movements, absolutely shocked. She was the pet of the dancing world. And then she’d had her accident and it was all over. I had read that in an old newspaper article.

‘‘So… Your leg? I mean, how did your leg heal (恢复健全)?”

“To tell you the truth — my legs have been well all my life,” she sighed.

“But I don’t understand!” I said, “Your dancing career (事业)… You pretended all these years?”

‘‘Very much so, and for a very good reason.”

She thought for a while and then continued. “We were talking about engagement (订婚) when your grandfather had to go to war. I was so afraid of losing him that the only way I could stay normal was to dance. I put all my energy and time into practicing and I became very good. Critics praised me, the public loved me, but all I could feel was the ache in my heart, not knowing whether the love of my life would ever return. Then one day a letter came. There were only three sentences: ‘I have lost my leg. I am no longer a whole man and now give you back your freedom. It is best you forget about me.’’’

“I made my decision there and then. I traveled away from the city. When I returned I had bought myself a stick. I told everyone I had been in a car crash and that my leg would never completely heal again. My dancing days were over. No one doubted the story — I had learned to limp (一瘸一拐地走) convincingly before I returned home. And I made sure the first person to hear of my accident was a reporter I knew well. Then I traveled to the hospital. They had pushed your grandfather outside in his wheelchair. I took a deep breath, leaned on my stick and limped to him.”

“I showed him newspaper articles of my accident. ‘There is a whole life waiting for us out there! But I am not going to carry you. You are going to walk yourself.’”

“I limped a few steps toward him and showed him what I’d taken out of my pocket. ‘Now show me you are still a man.’ I said. He bent to take his stick from the ground and struggled out of that wheelchair. He managed it on his own and walked to me and never sat in a wheelchair again in his life.”

“What did you show him?” I had to know. Grandma looked at me and smiled. “Two engagement rings, of course. I had bought them the day after he left for the war and I was not going to waste them on any other man.”

1.What does the underlined word “it” in the first paragraph refer to?

2.Which is the correct order of the following events according to the passage?

a. Grandfather lost his leg in the war.

b. Grandmother bought two engagement rings.

c. Grandfather was inspired to stand up on his own.

d. Grandmother pretended she was lame.

e. Grandmother became an excellent dancer.

f. Grandfather had to go to war.

3.Which of the following words can best describe grandmother?

4.What’s the main idea of the passage?

She was dancing. My lame grandmother was dancing. I stood in the living room doorway, looking at her beautiful movements, absolutely shocked. She was the pet of the dancing world. And then she’d had her accident and it was all over. I had read that in an old newspaper article.
‘‘So… Your leg? I mean, how did your leg heal (恢复健全)?”
“To tell you the truth — my legs have been well all my life,” she sighed.
“But I don’t understand!” I said, “Your dancing career (事业)… You pretended all these years?”
‘‘Very much so, and for a very good reason.”
She thought for a while and then continued. “We were talking about engagement (订婚) when your grandfather had to go to war. I was so afraid of losing him that the only way I could stay normal was to dance. I put all my energy and time into practicing and I became very good. Critics praised me, the public loved me, but all I could feel was the ache in my heart, not knowing whether the love of my life would ever return. Then one day a letter came. There were only three sentences: ‘I have lost my leg. I am no longer a whole man and now give you back your freedom. It is best you forget about me.’’’
“I made my decision there and then. I traveled away from the city. When I returned I had bought myself a stick. I told everyone I had been in a car crash and that my leg would never completely heal again. My dancing days were over. No one doubted the story — I had learned to limp (一瘸一拐地走) convincingly before I returned home. And I made sure the first person to hear of my accident was a reporter I knew well. Then I traveled to the hospital. They had pushed your grandfather outside in his wheelchair. I took a deep breath, leaned on my stick and limped to him.”
“I showed him newspaper articles of my accident. ‘There is a whole life waiting for us out there! But I am not going to carry you. You are going to walk yourself.’”
“I limped a few steps toward him and showed him what I’d taken out of my pocket. ‘Now show me you are still a man.’ I said. He bent to take his stick from the ground and struggled out of that wheelchair. He managed it on his own and walked to me and never sat in a wheelchair again in his life.”
“What did you show him?” I had to know. Grandma looked at me and smiled. “Two engagement rings, of course. I had bought them the day after he left for the war and I was not going to waste them on any other man.”
【小题1】What does the underlined word “it” in the first paragraph refer to?

1. In memory of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the communist party of China , our school held a c__________of singing a few days ago

2.If it is c _______ to you, please pay a visit to me when your are in town.

3.We must be a _____ of the skillful methods used in ads to try and sell us things.

4.In defeat, they found something more p ______ than victory---they found friendship, hounour and respect. .

5. Due to the terrible flood, most of the farmlands in our southern have been d_________ recently.

6.Although the power was cut off yesterday, the hospital still f________ (运作)normally.

7.At what age are children able to ____________(区分) between right and wrong ?

8.We should be fully aware of the ___________(重要性) of television in shaping our ideas.

9.After the chemical works exploded last week, much __________(有毒的 ) gas was given off.

10.A technique used f _____（频繁）by many players is to stare at the people they are playing against to make them feel uncomfortable.